Former school teacher detained pending child pornography charges

From our community

Published 4:50 pm, Saturday, December 27, 2014

Scott Burns, 45, has been was arrested and ordered into custody on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Burns was formerly employed as a high school teacher with the Alvin Independent School District.

Burns was charged in a sealed indictment returned Nov. 24, 2014, and unsealed upon his arrest at his Alvin home. He appeared for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Froeshner. During the hearing, the government presented evidence regarding his former employment and that he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. The government further argued that no conditions of bond would assure his presence in federal court nor protect the community. Judge Froeshner subsequently ordered he be detained pending further criminal proceedings.

The indictment alleges that from approximately February 2012 to March 2013, Burns did knowingly receive material that contained child pornography. He is further charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Specifically, that on or about March 18, 2014, Burns possessed a Hitachi Deskstar hard drive and compact discs containing video and still images of child pornography.

If convicted, Burns faces a mandatory minimum of five and up to 10 years for the receipt of child pornography. He further faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for the possession charge. Burns also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conviction and the possibility of a life term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.

The charges against Burns are the result of the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Alvin Police Department and the Alvin Independent School District Police with the assistance of the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.